Child&#39;s vehicle-simulating collapsible playpen

ABSTRACT

A SIMULATED COLLAPSIBLE PLAYPEN OF RECTANGULAR CONFIGURATION HAVING THREE SIDE WALLS AND A FLOOR LEAVING ONE SIDE OF THE PLAYPEN WITHOUT A WALL. THE PLAYPEN IS FORMED BY FOLDING A SINGLE SHEET OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL. THE SIDE WALLS ARE SUPPORTED AT THE CORNERS OF THE PLAYPEN BY A SET OF UPRIGHTS WHICH MAY BE PLACED EITHER INSIDE THE PLAYPEN ON BASE SUPPORTS OR ADJACENT ITS OUTER PERIPHERY PUSHED INTO THE GROUND. THE INTERIOR OF THE PLAYPEN IS EMBOSSED WITH FEATURES WHICH ARE IDENTIFIED WITH THE INSIDE OF A VEHICLE OR BUILDING STRUCTURE.

y 23, 1972 J. w. NAPIER 3,664,664

CHILD'S VEUICLI'FSIMULATING COLLAPSIULE PIJAYIEN Filed April 1970 K x 0 0%@ o 0% INVENTOR 6 75/; flip/[e 0 0,0 0 0 o ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,664,664 CHILDS VEHICLE-SIMULATING COLLAPSIBLE PLAYPEN Jeff W. Napier, 19 Glen Hill Court, Glendale Heights, Ill. 60137 Filed Apr. 3,1970, Ser. No. 25,448 Int. Cl. A63g 31/00 US. Cl. 272-1 C 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention Whereas the invention is defined in respect to an aircraft vehicle, it will be readily apparent that the subject matter hereof could be well adapted to any type of vehicle, either marine or land or air or a structure such as a house or fort.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The prior art is particularly devoid of substantially related constructions, the principle known construction being the area of play tents and toy forts and the like and the same having little relationship to the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The mockup is best characterized as a three-sided-fiatbottom collapsible unit supported at its respective corners by uprights which are readily attached to the respective corners, either exteriorly or interiorly thereof, the interior being embossed to simulate the interior of a vehicle or building structure. It is readily collapsible by the youngster, tending to be instructional in the erection or collapsing thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates in perspective a rear view of invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top plan view of invention, the uprights being removed and the blank being laid entirely flat, precedent to erection.

FIG. 3 illustrates alternate anchor means for supporting the mockup exteriorly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to FIG. 1, the mockup 100 comprises a flexible or semi-rigid material which is adapted to be folded in the manner shown in FIG. 1.

Mockup 100 includes a substantially central portion 110, adapted to rest upon the ground or floor and corresponding side flaps 112 and 114, each joining the central portion 110 at the fold line 122 hereinafter described.

"ice

The forward flap 116 is likewise an extension of the central portion, joining in a foldable line 124, indicated. At the corner extensions of the respective side and front flaps 112, 114 and 116 are corresponding grommets 118, which said grommets may be extensions of the respective flaps or integral therewith, forming suitable means for engaging a corresponding projection of the upright 130, hereinafter described.

The uprights are corresponding and each adapted to either external or internal disposition, the principal position of FIG. 1 being external and the internal indicated at 130. Each upright 130 includes weighted anchor supports 132 and at the upper end thereof are projections 134 in the form of hangers, extending generally horizontal and having an upright arm to secure the grommet portions of the respective flaps as indicated in FIG. 1 and in overlapping fashion toward the front of the device where the forward flaps and side flaps meet, as indicated. Each upright is bluntly pointed at its lower end for insertion into either the weighted anchor or alternately into the ground, without the anchor.

In assembly, the youngster may raise the respective flaps to the upright, securing, as suggested, the folds thereof being made following a laying of the entire unit on the ground, all as shown in FIG. 2. The folds are respectively at 122 and 122' sidewise and at 124 frontwise.

It will be appreciated that the entire unit lends itself to facile erection or construction and collapse for storage. It provides a suitable means for entertaining the youngster, indoors or outdoors, in the simulation of, as shown, operating a flying machine or other vehicles or building structures and, too, provides an educational outlet in developing skills, imagination, curiosity, and responsibility in caring for his own playthings.

Wth these and the aforementioned objects in view, the following claims are representative of the invention.

I claim:

1. A collapsible playpen and mockup for children comprising:

(A) an open-ended four-cornered body member integrla in construction, including a floor, foldable side walls and front wall; said body member being formed of a flexible material, indicia embossed on said body member to represent a vehicular structure;

(B) detachable support means, engageable for support of the respective walls at the four corners thereof, upon assembly, said support means comprising bottom-weighted upright standards, each said weighted standard being alternatively disposable interiorly and exteriorly of the playpen, the interior disposition there resting upon the bottom of the playpen.

2. The mockup of claim 1 in which the body member comprises a rectangular blank, said blank being folded longitudinally on each side of the floor to define opposed side walls, said blank also having an end extension, folded transversely to define a front wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,173,155 3/1965 Schweikert 598 2,774,080 12/ 1956 Randall 5-93 R 3,119,619 1/1964 Frank 248156 X D. 147,942 11/ 1947 Ziegler D5--5 3,188,661 6/1965 Rudy 462l X D. 159,921 8/1950 Perry D55 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner R. T. STOUFFER, Assistant Examiner 

